An automobile vehicle crankshaft including a crankshaft casting of a nodular iron. The crankshaft casting includes multiple main journals coaxially aligned on a common crankshaft casting axis. Multiple crankpin journals are fixedly connected to the main journals by individual webs. Multiple lightening holes have individual ones of the multiple lightening holes integrally formed within individual ones of the crankpin journals during casting. A bubble space is located proximate to a mid-portion of selected ones of the multiple lightening holes of the crankpin journals. The bubble space locally increases a passage size of the selected ones of the multiple lightening holes and reduces a mass of the individual ones of the crankpin journals.

The invention relates to a method for the impact treatment of transition radii (8) of a crankshaft (4, 4′), in particular transition radii (8) between connecting rod bearing journals (5, 5′) and crank webs (7, 7′) and/or transition radii (8) between main bearing journals (6, 6′) and the crank webs (7, 7′) of the crankshaft (4, 4′). The crankshaft (4, 4′) is then rotated along a rotational direction into an impact position by means of a drive device (3, 3′). A locking device (12) is provided in order to lock the crankshaft (4, 4′) in the impact position, and an impact force is then introduced into at least one transition radius (8) by at least one impact tool (16, 16′).

A method and system for manufacturing a cast iron crankshaft for a vehicle are provided. The system comprises a molding unit arranged to form a negative sand cast mold of the cast iron crankshaft. The mold comprising at least one molded cavity having a pattern with dimensions of the cast iron crankshaft. The system further comprises a feeding mechanism comprising a riser having a connector through which molten metallic material flows to the cast mold. The feeding mechanism feeds the molten metallic material at a riser connection angle in the at least one mold cavity. The riser connection angle corresponds to a connector modulus. The connector modulus is 20% greater than a cast modulus. The riser geometry corresponds to a riser modulus. The riser modulus is 20% greater than the connector modulus. The system further comprises a furnace, a cooling area, a separation unit, a controller and a power source.

A crankshaft for an internal combustion engine is provided. The crankshaft comprises at least four main journals aligned on a crankshaft axis of rotation defining a centerline. The crankshaft further comprises at least three pin journals. Each pin journal is disposed about a respective pin journal axis and positioned between the main journals. Each of the pin journals is joined to a pair of crank arms. Each pair of crank arms is joined to a respective main journal. Each of the main journals, pin journals, and crank arms is made of a first metallic material. Each crank arm has an over-molded counterweight metallurgically bonded thereto. Each counterweight is disposed opposite a respective pin journal relative to the centerline for balance and stability. Each counterweight is made of a second metallic material. The crankshaft has a weight ratio of the second metallic material to the first metallic material of between 0.20 to 0.50.

A device for controlling deformation of a large-scale crankshaft comprising a crankshaft holder that is arranged for fixing the crankshaft so that the crankshaft is aligned with an axis; a regulatory bracket that is arranged on the crankshaft holder at a position corresponding to the crankshaft; and a high-energy acoustic beam transducer that is arranged on the bracket and is provided with an end part coupled with the crankshaft. The crankshaft is fixed through the crankshaft holder, high-energy ultrasonic waves are injected into the crankshaft by the transducer, mass points in the crankshaft are driven to vibrate along the acoustic beam direction, and machining residual stress of the crankshaft is removed through the high-energy acoustic beam to realize the regulation and control of the residual stress in the material in the specific direction, so that machining precision of the crankshaft is ensured and machining deformation of the crankshaft is reduced.

The invention relates to a method for the impact treatment of transition radii (8) of a crankshaft (4), in particular transition radii (8) between connecting rod bearing journals (5) and crank webs (7) and/or transition radii (8) between main bearing journals (6) and the crank webs (7) of the crankshaft (4). In order to apply an impact force (FS) to at least one of the transition radii (8) along the respective transition radius (8) circulating about the crankshaft (4) in an annular manner, a heavily loaded region (BMAX), a lightly loaded region (BMIN), and intermediate regions (BZW) lying therebetween are defined, and an impact treatment is then carried out such that the impact force (FS) introduced into the intermediate regions (BZW) is increased in the direction of the heavily loaded region (BMAX).

Systems and methods of making a cast steel alloy crankshaft for an internal combustion engine are provided. The method comprises providing a mold of the crankshaft. The mold has cavities to form the crankshaft. The method further comprises melting a first metallic material at between 1400 degrees Celsius (° C.) and 1600° C. to define a molten metallic material. In addition, the method further comprises feeding the molten metallic material at a riser connection angle of between 30° and 75° in the cavities of the negative sand cast mold. The method further comprises cooling the molten metallic material at a solidification time of between 5 seconds (sec) and 20 sec in the negative sand cast mold with at least one chill member to define a solidified metallic material having dimensions of the cast steel alloy crankshaft. Furthermore, the method comprises separating the solidified metallic material from the negative sand cast mold to define the cast steel alloy crankshaft.

The invention relates to a method for the impact treatment of transition radii (8) of a crankshaft (4), in particular transition radii (8) between connecting rod bearing journals (5) and crank webs (7) and/or transition radii (8) between main bearing journals (6) and the crank webs (7) of the crankshaft (4). In order to apply an impact force (FS) to at least one of the transition radii (8) along the respective transition radius (8) circulating about the crankshaft (4) in an annular manner, a heavily loaded region (BMAX), a lightly loaded region (BMIN), and intermediate regions (BZW) lying therebetween are defined, and an impact treatment is then carried out such that the impact force (FS) introduced into the intermediate regions (BZW) is increased in the direction of the heavily loaded region (BMAX).

The invention relates to a device for the impact treatment of transition radii (8) of a crank-shaft (4), in particular transition radii (8) between connecting rod bearing journals (5) and crank webs (7) and/or transition radii (8) between main bearing journals (6) and the crank webs (7) of the crankshaft (4). The device comprises an impact device (1) in order to introduce an impact force (FS) into at least one transition radius (8), wherein the impact device (1) has multiple impact heads (21) which are paired with the same transition radius (8).

A method of manufacturing a crankshaft includes the steps of: (1) forming a crankshaft blank via a first half and a second half; (2) measuring a plurality of surface variations between a predetermined surface in a first region and a corresponding predetermined surface in a second region of the crankshaft blank; (3) calculating centering offset data based on the plurality of surface variations; (4) machining a pair center holes based on the centering offset data; (5) machining a counterweight and a journal relative to the pair of center holes to produce a partially machined crankshaft; (5) milling and grinding the partially machined crankshaft to produce a finished machined crankshaft; and (6) rotating the finished machined crankshaft typically on the outermost main journals in a final balancing machine and then modifying the counterweights to eliminate undesirable vibration generated during the rotation and engine operation.